The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-01-27
KILLED BY OPIUM.
A Cincinnati Druggist Tells About tn
Fatal Results of the Drug.

A Cincinnati Druggist Tells About the
Fatal Results of the Drug.
''One of my customers, who, thre.
years ago was a large, vigorous, healthy
man, is in his grave to-day because OF
opium, or rather what was in his case,
a preparation of OPIUM morphine. He
wasa book-keeper in a large manufact-
uring house, received a big salary. had
pleasant home and happy family.
Three years ago he had an attack OF
sciatica, which confined him to his
home for several weeks, and caused in
tense suffering, to relieve which his
physician administered hypodermic in
jections of morphine. The effect was
instantaneous and delightful. The suf-
fering passed away and instead there
came a peaceful calm, an ecstatic con-
dition of mind which was the more
pleasurable because vividly contrasted
with the days of pain that had gone
before The gentleman continued
ness, and when the disease had
been cured he was 10th to part with
his morphine. One day, however,
gave him a good talking to, explaining
that he was committing suicide-that
death was inevitable if he continued 10
use the terrible drug, and at last got
him to promise me that he would give
it up. He did quit buying it of me, and
/ supposed that he had ceased to use
it, but for prudential reasons said moth.
ing more about it. In the course of a
year my customer, who was a friend
also, and for whom Ihad a high regard,
began to waste away-I can not ex-
plain it any better. His complexion
became sallow. his eyes sunken, his
form attenuated, his step got to be
feeble and his vitality seemed to have
gone. l spoke to him about his ema-
ciated condition on three or four diff
ferent occasions, begging him to con-
suit his physician, but he always de-
clared that he was feeling all right and
that he would soon be looking all
right. One evening he came in my
store to have chat with me and l
opened out on him with all the per-
suasion / could command, and l en-
treated him to either 60 to his physician
or let me give him some tonics. My
manner was so serious that it had its eff
feet, but the effect was far different from
what / had expected. The poor fellow
broke down, and with tears in his eyes
made horrifying confession to me.
He told me that he had become ayicrim
to morphine, and that when he tried to
quit the use of it year before he had
found it impossible to do so. The con-
fession upset me completely, and did
all that could then and for weeks
after to get my customer to stop using
the fearful stuff, but he had got into a
morbid condition of mind and body and
nothing could save him. About year
after that he died perfect wreck, and
to-day his cold and senseless body lies
beneath beautiful monument in
Spring Grove Cemetery, itself covering
| the hidden monument of clay that
| warns every one to never touch that
horrible drug. Better had my customer
suffered the tortures of his disease. His
| widow and orphans would not to-day
| be without a protector.
''And yet physicians will go on pre-.
scribing morphine?" remarked the
newsman.
"Well, the physician who prescribed
it for my customer will never give it to
any one again. ..
TT is bound to kill, is it?" asked the
newsman. ~
.In time it will. There is no help
/ for it. The use of narcotics of any kind
will undermine the constitution until
| the victim becomes a wreck and the
| wreck breaks up I have customer
| now for sulphate of morphine, lady,
and young lady, too, who was mar
ried only two years ago. and who has 8
fine baby boy. Sometime ago she tool
some sort of patent medicine fol
neuralgia. There was morphine in the
| stuff, and she took the medicine Ions
after the neuralgia was cured to pro
cure the dreamy effects of the drug
Then when she discovered what it wa
that gave the effects she got to taking
the morphine itself, and she comes tt
my store and buys it by the drachm
She knows that she ought not to use it
she knows it is running her, but th'
habit is firmly fastened upon her ant
| she can not shake it Off / warned he
long ago. but she said she could not d.
without her morphine, and so she use
it day after day, always increasing tn
dose. Her husband does not know o
her weakness; it is secret between
her and myself, but within the mex
three years / know she will die, an,
that morphine will have caused he
death. "-Cincinnatt 1ines-Star.
/